Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-09-28
THE WEEPING CLOUDS
HANG LIKE A PAIL OVER The GRAND
ARMY BNCANPGENT.
DrzzIlng Ram Danpsns the ArdOr Of tie
's'srans-The Grand Parade Postponed Until
fO-Day-Ah Important Meeting
Tustlss Talk.

A9b 4hOst september EI.- MANY
veteran and many cizen breathed q
oenedictiOn on the signal service when they
sought their eouehes last night. ''Clear
and cold were the special representations
that the acting chief had caused to be
specially autographed to the Mound City,
and there were rejoicing, over the assur-
anee from so high an authority that the uu-
pleasant experiences of yesterday were not
to be repeated on the day of the great
parade; but, alas for human hopes and ex-
pectatons, when those same people peeped
from between the creyiees in their tents or
lifted their blinds, in their rooms at day
break, it was only to encounter a disap-
pointment that made their souls sink
within them. The rain was still falling,
that kind OF fOggy, misty, Scotch high
land sort Of rain that gets in its work quite
"a effectively rs heavy down pour, while
heavy leaden clouds covered the sky.
Beneath the feet 1t Was mud, and moth
ing but mud-that kind OF mud in which,
both rs regards quantity and quality, ST.
Louis enjoys monopoly. Altogether the
/ outlook was wretched one for the tens of
! thousands of visitors who had gathered
| from near and far aud still worse for the
veterans who had proposed to make the
| parade Of to-day the most imposing and
memorable in the history of the order.
| Throughout the night and early morning
| trains were arriving almost continuously
at the Union depot, and q neyer-ending
procession poured out of the structure into
the darkness.
An informal but highly important
meeting was held late last night at the
Southern Hotel by number OF Post Off
GERS and delegates of the Grand Army for
the purpose OF advising with each other as
TO the desirability OF holding the next en-
Campment in June, lSSS. The fact that
many accusations had been made to the
effect that
| THE ORGANIZATION WAS POLITICAL
in its character, rendered it, in the opinion
of many, ineNpedient to hold the encamp-
ment during the fall, when Presidential
canvass was at its height, and when there
would be an unusually favorable Opportu-
nifty to distort individual expressions OF
opinion into official declarations of the
Grand Army.
The meeting was well attended, and in
Cludeu many OF the most influential mem
bers of the order, and some were disin'
chned to make any alteration in the timt
OF holding the encampment, regarding the
danger of political entanglements as too
slight to be considered, but the majority
took a different view OF the matter, hold
ING that il would not detTaCt from tn,
success OF the encampment If the meeting
should be advanced, and that by so doing
all danger of becoming involved in pOliti
cal controversy would he Obviated. II
was accOrdiugly decided that June be re
commended as the date for the next an
nual meeting.
When this determination was reached, q
deputatiOu called upon General Fairchild
and acquainted him with the result oi
their deliberations. General Fairchild ex'
pressed his approval Of the proposed
change and stated that he would support II
in the eucampment. A large number OF
delegates not pre- ent at the conference
were favorably impressed with the plan,
and there is every possibility that 1t will
be adopted.
| As early as : o'clock the various posts
and department divisions commenced to
assemble at their respective headquarters
to form for the parade, and in every direc,
ton the ali was filled with the strains oI
the 'Star Spangled Banner" Dixie, y
Rally Round the Flag Yankee
Doodle" " Marching Through Georgia
and other old war and patriotic songs.
4 Above the music aud the cheers of the
crowds could be heard the shouts OF the
commanding officers and the steady tramp
tramp, tramp of the veterans. As re
suit of the untavorable weather il was pro
posed TO cut the line of march in half re
duce the original four miles to two, Ovel
the following route: South on tourtl
street to ChOteau avenue; north on Broad
way TO Washington avenue; west on Wash
ington avenHe to Fifteenth street; soutt
on Fifteenth TO Olive street; east on DIV,
n street toITwelith street, where the granC
reviewing staud is located.
At this juncture, however,
THE RAIN FALL GREW HEAVIER,
and it was finally decided to postponed th'
grand parade until ten O'Clock tomorrow
morning.
When it was decided, this morning, Il
postpone the G.. A. K. parade, messengers
were at once dispatched On horseback t.
inform the posts which were taking NJ
their positions on the cross streets prepara
tory To falling into line, but the crowded
condition OF the streets made the task
difficult one, and thousands Of the veter
aus